Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Mystic Marfa

Marfa is a small desert town in West Texas with a population barely exceeding two thousand people. If it weren't for the railroads it may not exist today. But, what truly brought Marfa to its current situation was the move of minimalist artist Donald Judd from New York city. He claims he went to Marfa to get away from people, but now Marfa has become a common stop for travelers looking for kitsch. In addition the famed Marfa Lights draw tons speculation and interest. The Marfa Lights even made it on the popular show Unsolved Mysteries.

I personally went to Marfa on a road trip with my college roommate to get away from the city and see something new. We successfully saw the Marfa Lights on the first night and roamed around town the next day. Food is hit and miss in this town. There are a lot of modern restaurants, but the hours are often limited to Thursday - Sunday. We went on Tuesday and Wednesday. Also, the food tends to run out if you get there late. Oh the small town charm...

My favorite eats included the Food Shark truck. They even sold Mexican Coca Cola, which is a favorite of mine made with real sugar (not corn syrup). I also enjoyed Cochineal and Squeeze Marfa for breakfast.

In addition, the art galleries have limited hours. We were able to visit a few though, the Galleri Urbane, Second Floor and Etherington Art. I personally fell in love with a Mexican artist that paints the stray dogs that he adopts. Often times he also paints the back of the painting with another picture. I almost found myself making monthly payments just to own one. If you ever visit, I suggest booking a tour of the Judd and Chinati Foundations. Those are the main attractions, and I wish I had seen them. Also, the art installation Prada Marfa is about 25 miles outside of town, but a must see in my opinion. If you're a Gossip Girl fan, you might recognize the art from the Van Der Woodsen's home.